Sources
CR
Type
Size
Alignment
Movement

Death Tyrant

Large Undead, Lawful Evil

Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
Hit Points 187 (25d10 + 50)
Speed 0 ft., fly 20 ft. (hover)
STR
10
+0
DEX
14
+2
CON
14
+2
INT
19
+4
WIS
15
+2
CHA
19
+4
Saving Throws STR +5, CON +7, INT +9, WIS +7, CHA +9
Skills Perception +12
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 22
Languages Deep Speech, Undercommon
Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)

Traits

Negative Energy Cone. The death tyrant's central eye emits an invisible, magical 150-foot cone of negative energy. At the start of each of its turns, the tyrant decides which way the cone faces and whether the cone is active.

Any creature in that area can't regain hit points. Any humanoid that dies there becomes a zombie under the tyrant's command. The dead humanoid retains its place in the initiative order and animates at the start of its next turn, provided that its body hasn't been completely destroyed.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:14 (4d6) piercing damage.

Eye Rays. The death tyrant shoots three of the following magical eye rays at random (reroll duplicates), choosing one to three targets it can see within 120 feet of it:

  • The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the death tyrant for 1 hour, or until the death tyrant harms the creature.
  • The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  • The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  • The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target's speed is halved for 1 minute. In addition, the creature can't take reactions, and it can take either an action or a bonus action on its turn, not both. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  • The targeted creature must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  • 6. Telekinetic Ray
  • The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or fall asleep and remain unconscious for 1 minute. The target awakens if it takes damage or another creature takes an action to wake it. This ray has no effect on constructs and undead.
  • The targeted creature must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature begins to turn to stone and is restrained. It must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature is petrified until freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic.
  • 9. Disintegration Ray
  • The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take 55 (10d10) necrotic damage. The target dies if the ray reduces it to 0 hit points.

Legendary Actions

Eye Ray. The death tyrant uses one random eye ray.

Lore

On rare occasions, a beholder's sleeping mind drifts to places beyond its normal madness, imagining a reality in which it exists beyond death. When such dreams take hold, a beholder can transform, its flesh sloughing away to leave a death tyrant behind. This monster possesses the cunning and much of the magic it had in life, but it is fueled by the power of undeath. A death tyrant appears as a massive, naked skull, with a pinpoint of red light gleaming in its hollow eye socket. With its…